NCAA Tournament: Five things to watch for today

Virginia Commonwealth head coach Shaka Smart, right, talks with guard Darius Theus (10) in the first half of a second-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Akron Thursday, March 21, 2013, in Auburn Hills, Mich. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

As the round of 32 begins today, there are plenty of things to keep your eye on. The last two days of basketball had enough excitement and intensity for an entire tournament, but there’s much more to come.

Today's games feature a mix of elite programs, Cinderella candidates and under-the-radar squads – all looking to keep their tournament dreams alive. Here are five things to watch:

1. Atlantic 10 looks to stay unbeaten

After La Salle’s upset victory over Kansas State on Friday, the Atlantic 10 conference improved to a perfect 6-0 in the tournament. Both Butler and VCU are on today’s slate of games as they look to keep the A-10 perfect.

VCU takes on Michigan at 12:15 p.m. in what could be the most entertaining game of the day. The Rams breezed past Akron 88-42 on Thursday evening, but will be in for a real test against Trey Burke and the Wolverines.

Butler, meanwhile, didn’t get off to the start it wanted against Bucknell, but the Bulldogs still prevailed. Their second-round opponent, Marquette, also struggled to escape the round of 64. Both the Rams and Bulldogs have a great shot to keep the A-10 perfect.

2. Louisville vs. Cinderella?

Colorado State entered the tournament this year as a popular pick to bust some brackets. However, after seeing the Rams draw a No. 8 seed in the daunting Midwest Region, many folks quickly jumped off the bandwagon. The Rams get their crack at top overall seed Louisville tonight.

The Cardinals do not appear to be on upset alert, but the rebounding prowess of Colorado State is something to be wary of. The Rams were a better rebounding team and shot a higher percentage from the floor than the Cardinals in the regular season. Colorado State certainly has the potential to make things interesting against Rick Pitino’s team.

3. A Crimson encore?

Today's schedule boasts a few teams looking to become America’s darling after pulling off a major first-round upset. Harvard will look to be the first Cinderella team this year to land in the Sweet 16. The Crimson pulled off a No. 14 over No. 3 upset on Thursday night when they defeated New Mexico. Next up for Harvard is another tough game against the Arizona Wildcats.

Arizona defeated Belmont on Thursday behind a big game from guard Mark Lyons. Lyons scored 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting against the Bruins. If Harvard can contain Lyons, the Ivy League champions could land in the Sweet 16.

Gonzaga's Kelly Olynyk (13) and Kevin Pangos react against Saint Mary's late in the game of the West Coast Conference tournament championship NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 11, 2013, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

4. Gonzaga on upset alert

After surviving a scare from No. 16 seed Southern that lasted into the final seconds of their opening win, the Bulldogs are hearing the voices questioning their legitimacy grow ever louder. Wichita State is a much more formidable opponent than Southern, as evidenced by their 73-55 dismantling of Pitt. Wichita State's Malcolm Armstead and Cleanthony Early could be a tough duo to defend for Gonzaga, especially if the Shockers find the mark from behind the arc. Wichita State managed to get past Pitt despite shooting just 2-for-20 from 3-point territory.

While there isn’t much doubt surrounding star forward Kelly Olynyk’s contributions, the Bulldogs will need continued production from guard Kevin Pangos to make a championship run. Pangos rescued the Zags against Southern, scoring seven of his team's final 10 points. If Pangos struggles against Wichita State, he and Gonzaga could find themselves on upset alert.

5. Southerland and Syracuse should shoot, shoot, shoot

That’s a mouthful, but it’s true. Syracuse’s James Southerland, a 40 percent 3-point shooter, must look to take advantage of California’s shaky 3-point field goal defense when the Orange battles the Golden Bears. Cal is ranked 169th nationally this season in 3-point field goal defense, allowing opponents to shoot 33.5 percent from behind the arc.

Against Montana, Syracuse shot just 11 3-pointers after taking control of the game early. However, against Cal, coach Jim Boeheim’s team would be wise to emphasize the long-distance attack and exploit what may be the Bears' biggest weakness. Watch for Southerland to have a big game and lead Syracuse to the Sweet 16.